Top Brewers prospect Jackson Chourio seeking to build off breakout 2022 season

PHOENIX -- Already, Jackson Chourio is must-see TV.

"He's the kind of guy where, we have the minor-league game on a lot in the coaches' room, and you're watching if Chourio is coming to bat," manager Craig Counsell said Thursday of the Maracaibo, Venezuela native who enters 2023 as one of the consensus top prospects in all of baseball and the unquestioned No. 1 in the Milwaukee Brewers system.

Such are the physical tools Chourio -- a converted shortstop now excelling in center field -- brings to the table.

They were all on display in a breakthrough 2022 season in which he rocketed through three minor-league levels and, by the time all was said and done, had posted a cumulative line of a .288 average, 20 home runs and 75 runs batted in with an OPS of .879 over 99 games.

As a result, Chourio went from someone to keep an eye on to one of the most well-known names throughout the game, a true five-tool player who is the Brewers' most anticipated youngster since Ryan Braun in the mid-2000s and someone with the talent to be a potential franchise-changing player.

And all at the tender age of 18 (he turns 19 on March 11).

"What he did last year was unbelievable, and having the maturity to understand everything that was happening around him was something that makes him really special," said vice president and special assistant to general manager Eduardo Brizuela. "Jackson is somebody who has a ton of passion for the game. He likes to go about his business and he understands what he needs to do and what areas need to improve.

"Seeing that at a very young age gives you that feeling that, ‘Man, this guy can be special.’"

Jackson Chourio joined Brewers organization when he was 16 years old

Much was expected of Chourio from the time he joined the organization on Jan. 15, 2021, when he received a $1.8 million signing bonus as a 16-year-old.

"I started playing at a very young age," Chourio said through Brizuela. "At four years old, I was playing back home in Venezuela. I had a coach there that trained me for a long time (Jorge Cequera), but my dad (also named Jackson Chourio) was also a big influence. My dad was there every day, seeing how I was working out, and helping me improve throughout the years with my game.

"I think at about 12 years old, I thought I could play professional baseball."

Jackson Chourio quickly moved up professional baseball ranks

Chourio showed well in his first taste of professional baseball, a 45-game stint in the Dominican Summer League after signing. Then, after a strong spring in 2022, the Brewers chose to skip the typical next step for a minor-leaguer -- the Arizona Complex League -- and instead sent him to Class A Carolina to start his first full season.

He put up a line of .324/12/47/.973 in 62 games then was moved up to advanced Class A Wisconsin. As the youngest player in the Midwest League by nine months, he responded with a line of .252/8/24/.805 while also missing some time with a minor elbow injury.

There was also an appearance in the Futures Game during all-star week, where he was joined by fellow Milwaukee outfield prospect Joey Wiemer.

A six-game stint at Class AA Biloxi capped Chourio's year. He collected only two hits in 23 at-bats while driving in four runs, but again considering how young he was for the Southern League, it was the learning experience that counted most.

"He’s being exposed to not only the culture but to the game of baseball at a very high level, and it’s most important to see how he feels," said Brizleua. "I think that’s the biggest growth mechanism as a player comes through the minor-league system, is how they handle failure. And he’s been able to do that very well – in the very few times that he’s failed.

"Craig brings it up all the time – the big leagues are not easy. And our job is to ensure that the players are not only prepared to handle it when they get to the big leagues, but most important is they know how to fail. When failing happens, they know how to get through it."

How does Chourio feel about all he accomplished in 2022?

"I’m very thankful," he said through Brizuela. "Thankful to God for the opportunity to be at the top of the rankings. At the same time, I’m very humble about it."

Baseball America ranks Jackson Chourio third overall in minor leagues

With regard to said rankings, Chourio ranks as high as third in all the minor leagues by Baseball America and generally falls in the top 10 on every other notable talent evaluator's list.

It's certainly no guarantee Chourio will turn out as advertised and without question adds a ton of pressure onto the back of a young man who would otherwise be in his freshman year of college. To that end, vice president of player operations and baseball administration Tom Flanagan, Brizuela and the rest of the front office are keeping a close eye on Chourio and helping him navigate the waters whenever possible.

"That’s something that we always ask ourselves as we go through this process, just to have a sense of protection for the kid – especially with him being so young," Brizuela said. "We have no indication that is going to affect him. He’s very humble, he understands where he stands right now, he understands there are going to be a lot of high expectations.

"But at the same time it’s most important that he understands that he needs to get better, that there are still areas for him to improve, and that’s what drives him every single day when he gets to the park."

Asked about his favorite part of the game, Chourio's answer was short and to the point.

"To hit," he said.

What does the immediate future hold for Jackson Chourio?

Chourio's offseason consisted of a 21-game stint with Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League (he debuted with the team in 2021 as a 17-year-old), rest and weights. He reported early to Arizona, and spent time in the hitting cages at American Family Fields of Phoenix with some of the assorted major-leaguers who were already on hand.

"I had a really good time playing winter ball, especially playing with players who have experience at the highest level," he said. "It was really good to be around those guys, in that environment, where you have to compete every day. It felt really good to be there and learn from them. I was actually done playing around the middle of November.

"After that, I had off time to rest and then eventually pick it up again. I got back to the weight room, and then eventually to Arizona so I could get ready for the season. It felt really good to have an opportunity to hit with big-leaguers. They try to give you advice. At the same time, it feels like you can do it as well."

Counsell said Chourio would likely see some time in Cactus League games moving forward this spring, increasing his exposure to role models like Garrett Mitchell and Willy Adames.

Then once the minor-league season starts, it wouldn't be surprising to see Chourio return to Wisconsin before giving Biloxi another shot.

Corbin Burnes makes his spring debut

Corbin Burnes didn't expect to take the mound to start the third inning in his first Cactus League start of 2023, but that's what happened after he needed only 19 pitches to navigate the first two.

He managed to record an out in the third as well but was also charged with a pair of runs after allowing a leadoff walk and then an RBI single in an eventual 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Thursday.

"We were trying to get up twice, get that pitch count to 25-30 and didn't get there after two. So lucky me, got to go out for the third," joked Burnes, who also took the loss. "But it was good to get up three times. A four-pitch walk to there to start the inning just can't happen.

"But the first two innings were really good."

Milwaukee jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead after leadoff man Christian Yelich took the first pitch from Dane Dunning the other way and over the wall for his first spring homer. Yelich, playing his second game, also doubled in his debut on Tuesday.

"It's a ball hit really hard," Counsell said. "He's driven a few balls early in camp, so that's always a good thing."

Left-hander Robert Gasser was given a clean third inning and had a rough go of it, allowing five hits, three runs and a walk with a strikeout while recording only two outs.

"He struggled with getting his fastball where he wanted to," said Counsell. "He got stuck on throwing a lot of slider-cutters and when you can't throw your fastball where you want for strikes, then that boxes you in a little bit."

Janson Junk bounced back from his rocky debut to throw two scoreless innings, and prospect Abner Uribe impressed Counsell with two strikeouts in his one-inning stint.

"Getting swings and misses on a two-seam fastball to lefties, righties, swings and misses in early counts with a regular fastball -- that's impressive," Counsell said. "That's exciting. That's not easy to do. Professional hitters know a fastball's coming, and to get it by them with a two-seamer is pretty good."

Willy Adames, William Contreras, Brian Anderson and Luke Voit all had two-hit games to lead a 13-hit Milwaukee attack.

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"I don’t really think about that," Chourio said. "I try to control what’s under my power. That’s all I can do at this point."

Late last August, Chourio visited American Family Field prior to a game. When he next returns, will he be wearing a Brewers uniform and be a member of the team?

"I would love to do that, but it all depends on how I play," he said. "I understand that’s a big part of it."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Top Brewers prospect Jackson Chourio seeks to build off breakout 2022